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Hear the devotional read here: https://bit.ly/3bsg7zV
17 And if you invoke as Father him who judges each one impartially according to his deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile. 18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was destined before the foundation of the world but was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake.21 Through him you have confidence in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart. 23 You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; (1 Peter 1:17-23 RSV)
May this be a tremendous Tuesday for you and yours, dear Friend! Our prayers for the family of Mrs. Esther Blanco, widow of a The Rev. Samuel Blanco. The Blanco's served in my home church in Houston for some years. Please pray for her sons and daughters that God's comfort be with them during this time.
I'm old enough to remember that as I left home for whatever reason, my Mom made sure to give me a dime. A dime, kids, is a ten-cent piece that in those days worked in a pay phone. A pay phone is a a cellular phone chained to a big box that allowed you to put in your dime and you could make a local call. To call out of the city or area you needed to make a long-distance call. The understanding was that with that dime you could call home in case you needed help. I remember when the price went up to a quarter. Boys and girls, a quarter is a twenty-five cent piece that used to buy a lot of things and grandparents had a way of making you believe that the quarters came out of your ears!
Today's passage begins with Peter urging all who call on God for help, to realize that by calling on Him we are to conduct ourselves as respectful and loving towards Him, because God will judge us. Peter also reminds us that our history as believers has been blessed by the times God has rescued us from different needs and necessities, and that our relationship was cemented with what Jesus did for us on the cross and through the Easter story. In other words, God gave us something greater than a dime or a quarter that we can carry with us; God has given us faith! And God has given us prayer. This, Peter says, should give us confidence to live a life that is blessed with hope and love. And that love that comes from God, should be shared as we love one another.
That dime said, "Son, we love you and if ever you find yourself in need, feel free to call." the dime also said, "Trust us enough to call as you have need, and we will respond the best way we can." God has said the same thing but in a more powerful, and more beautiful way. And God also has said, "Take the love I have shared with you, and freely share it with others; they need to see and feel the love that I have shared with you." And we know that the kind of love God has given us, is the purest form of love, agape; unconditional love that rises above brotherly/sisterly love, and above the attraction love between romantic partners. God's love shows no judgment, no partiality, no extreme favorites. It is an all encompassing love that blesses, heals, and restores. It is the kind of love that this crisis needs us to show to those closest to us, and to all others.
PRAYER: Loving Father, thank You for all You have shown and done for us. We love and trust You and we pray that we might freely receive and freely share Your love with others. May others know we belong to You because we love one another. It is in Christ Jesus' name we pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Love one another today!
Receive my blessings of peace and compassion,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
